Wrestling with baby by diaper changing

amother

Thu, May 18 2023, 4:39 pm

Can't handle this anymore. Never had a baby who fought diaper changing as much as this one. The second I lay him down the first thing he does is flip over. I try to get him on his back and he spends the entire time trying with all his might to flip over screaming and twisting his entire body and yelling. It's impossible. There has got to be a solution. 9 months.

Raindance

Thu, May 18 2023, 4:44 pm

I found that holding the leg down makes it harder to flip. I would hold across the stomach and onto the thigh with my forearm. I also would tell the baby to lay still. ever. single. time.

or tickle or make faces/sounds to distract.

or count to 5 every time so that baby knows how long it takes, and reward for laying still for the 5 seconds.

maybe look into toilet training ideas from the 50ies/russians/asians?

Rappel

Thu, May 18 2023, 4:49 pm

Give the baby the wipes package to hold - the plastic kind that makes crinkly sounds when you touch it - and praise him for holding it. He'll have something to focus on other than flipping over.

Caveat: I do think there are some children that just won't sit still - that was my eldest. I had to hold him down every diaper change. Today he's a beautiful, brilliant child, whom still can't ever sit still.

amother

Thu, May 18 2023, 5:19 pm

Ok I should have added I tried every trick mentioned here. Cooing talking singing silly faces.. toys. Interesting toys. Keys. Baby wipes pack worked maybe a month ago. Now he knows better and isn't interested. I give him tools and gadgets it works for a minute.
Holding babies legs across stomach ...doesn't work. He is strong. And he flips with all his might. I'm literally wrestling him and trying to get a diaper on a baby whose entire body is upside down in the air all over the place.

Hashem_Yaazor

Thu, May 18 2023, 5:23 pm

Same here. My baby can sit up straight while I hold his legs down if he can't flip.
Many times I manage to get one tab closed and do the other while he stands.

Other times I let him escape for a minute and then diaper him, usually gets it out of his system. The hardest is when he's dirty and I need him to stay down to get him clean.

No real answers, just commiserating with you!

amother

Firebrick

Thu, May 18 2023, 5:25 pm

I know someone who used to change her son by sitting in front of him on the floor and putting her feet on his shoulders.

amother

Yarrow

Thu, May 18 2023, 8:19 pm

Just mentioned this in another post under Infants.🙈

There is a course coming up next week. It's live online given by the Guttmann sisters called Baby on Track. They cover why this is and it is something to take care of now before they have more issues down the road. I took it myself and it was eye-opening, practical and I really believed saved my youngest. They show exercises on what to do for this issue. Here's the link: https://handsonapproaches.com/baby-on-track/

amother

Mintcream

Thu, May 18 2023, 8:22 pm

I'm in your boat, op. my baby boy is so strong and active it takes a physical toll on me to change his diapers. and I've tried every trick already.

amother

Petunia

Thu, May 18 2023, 8:23 pm

Dealing with this now as well unfortunately. Every shirt I own is stamped with desitin in a butt shape.

Only eitza is changing him on the floor because im so scared hell jump off the changing table and I wont be able to catch him in time.

gootlfriends

Thu, May 18 2023, 8:26 pm

Totally normal. It's a phase. I only had one kid who didn't do it and he is a very mild mannered kid.

amother

Dandelion

Thu, May 18 2023, 8:59 pm

Omgggggggg yessss. My baby is stronger than me! I change him in the floor and physically hold him down by putting my hand across his stomach and somehow holding down his legs too and he still manages to turn over and crawl away. I give up!!!

amother

Cantaloupe

Thu, May 18 2023, 9:13 pm

Sign up for a gym and start lifting barbells. That way you’ll be stronger than him.

Kidding … my baby is a sweet 4 month old who doesn’t know how to run away and I guess I’ve blocked out those memories of my older kids lol. I know at one point I was diapering them standing.

Ema of 5

Thu, May 18 2023, 9:15 pm

amother OP wrote:

Mine is the same, and he’s only 6 months!! Even my oldest wasn’t this squirmy. Sometimes I resort to putting my leg across his waist. Sometimes I hold him firmly (but not hurting him) with one hand and changing him with the other. Sometimes I just let him wriggle around naked for a minute.

Ema of 5

Thu, May 18 2023, 9:15 pm

devorah1231 wrote:

Have your older kids help hold him down. Mine entertain and I work quick.

What about when they are in school? Or sleeping?

devorah1231

Thu, May 18 2023, 9:17 pm

Ema of 5 wrote:

What about when they are in school? Or sleeping?

Obv when available...

I also put my phone on airplane mode (flip phone) and let him hold it...

amother

Cantaloupe

Thu, May 18 2023, 9:17 pm

amother Firebrick wrote:

I know someone who used to change her son by sitting in front of him on the floor and putting her feet on his shoulders.

I read this as her putting his feet on her shoulders. The second read made more sense.

Ema of 5

Thu, May 18 2023, 9:19 pm

amother Gladiolus wrote:

Plenty of changing mats with straps out there...

My baby would just take the mat with him when he flips over. It’s not the the mat is heavy….